Modern Wi-Fi routers broadcast two separate frequency bands: 2.4GHz and 5GHz. The 5GHz band is incredibly fast and free of interference, making it perfect for video calls and large downloads. The 2.4GHz band is much slower but travels further through walls.
Most modern routers use “band steering,” meaning they broadcast both bands under the exact same network name (SSID). It is up to your Mac to decide which band to connect to. Unfortunately, macOS is notoriously conservative; if you wander slightly away from your router, macOS will eagerly downgrade your connection to the slower 2.4GHz band to maintain a strong signal, and it will stubbornly refuse to upgrade back to 5GHz when you walk back into the same room as the router.
If you want maximum speed, you need to force your Mac to heavily prioritize the 5GHz frequency.
The Hidden Wi-Fi Diagnostics Tool
Apple removed the ability to explicitly prioritize Wi-Fi bands from the standard System Settings several years ago. To influence your Mac’s roaming aggressiveness, we must use a hidden utility buried deep within the system folders.
Step 1: Open Wireless Diagnostics
- Hold down the Option key on your keyboard.
- While holding Option, click the Wi-Fi icon in your menu bar at the top right of your screen.
- You will see a highly detailed dropdown menu showing your IP address, BSSID, and current frequency channel.
- Click on Open Wireless Diagnostics… at the top of the menu.
Step 2: Access the Hidden Window
When the Wireless Diagnostics app opens, an introduction window will appear. Do not click Continue. If you click Continue, it will just run a generic scan and tell you your internet works.
- Ignore the introductory window entirely.
- Look up at the top menu bar on your screen (next to the Apple logo) and click on Window.
- Select Info from the dropdown menu (or press Command + 2).
A completely new, highly technical “Info” window will open alongside the main app.
Step 3: Modify the Roaming Aggressiveness
This Info window gives you a live look at exactly how macOS evaluates the Wi-Fi signals around you.
- In the left sidebar of the Info window, select Wi-Fi.
- Look at the bottom left corner of this window. You will see a small gear icon (the Action pop-up menu). Click it.
- Select Join Preferences (on older macOS versions, this may be located under a different tab or require changing the roaming profile).
Note: If you are running macOS Sonoma or later, Apple has completely locked down user-facing band steering preferences in the GUI to conform with modern 802.11k/v/r roaming standards. If the Join Preferences option is unavailable, the only way to guarantee a 5GHz connection is at the router level.
The Router-Level Solution (Guaranteed Fix)
If macOS refuses to prioritize the 5GHz band natively, the only foolproof solution is to force the router to treat the bands as two distinct networks.
- Log into your Wi-Fi router’s admin panel via your web browser (usually
192.168.1.1or similar). - Navigate to the Wireless Settings section.
- Find the option for Band Steering or Smart Connect (terminology varies by manufacturer like Netgear, Asus, or TP-Link) and turn it OFF.
- Rename your 5GHz network so it is distinct (e.g., change “MyNetwork” to “MyNetwork_5G”).
- Save the settings.
On your Mac, go to Wi-Fi settings, connect exclusively to “MyNetwork_5G”, and tell macOS to “Forget” the standard 2.4GHz network. Your Mac will now have zero choice but to utilize the high-speed 5GHz band permanently.